Age for Marijuana Use May Vary Across Canada: Legalization Official

Minimum ages for marijuana consumption may vary across Canada when it becomes legal, but authorities will be firmly against drug tourism and cross-border movement of the substance, the Liberal government’s point man on the issue said on Wednesday.

The government also wants consistent nation-wide impaired-driving laws for marijuana, said Bill Blair, parliamentary secretary to the justice minister, as the country formulates a new drug law ahead of a spring 2017 deadline.

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[Blair] said provinces should have a say, but legalization led by individual regions, such as in the United States, causes a “difficult situation,” in which state laws sometimes contradict federal laws.

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Blair cautioned the government has not made firm decisions on many aspects of legalization, which will be heavily influenced by the task force’s report. But he said the government does “not necessarily” need a nation-wide marijuana consumption age, citing different ages provinces have for alcohol use.

Canada intends to implement regulations to “discourage” drug tourism, as the country is taking a strict public-health approach and is not out to make money, he said.